Analytics software provider SAS has introduced a programme to offer analytics skills training to higher education students.
SAS Skill Builder is an around the clock virtual learning platform offering students free access to SAS software, e-learning and certifications. The portal also provides career advice and connects students with employers.
An academic e-mail domain is required to access SAS Skill Builder for students. On the portal, users will have access to free cloud-based software, free e-learning, certification pathways, certification exam discounts and career resources.
SAS says analytics practitioners are in high demand, with roles such as data scientists and data engineers among the most sought-after jobs, and it hopes the platform will help create a career path in the sector for students.
“SAS Skill Builder for students highlights our continued commitment to growing the next generation of analytics experts and connecting employers with the talent they need,” says Lynn Letukas, senior director of global academic programmes and certifications at SAS.
Explaining the working modalities of the platform, the analytics company says SAS Skill Builder for students incorporates data from a variety of industries to allow them to gain valuable and relevant experience.
“Students can also learn one of the most valuable skills for success in today’s society and workplaces: data literacy. In a world awash in dis- and misinformation, it is critical to be able to consume, interpret and understand data.
“SAS Skill Builder for students includes access to Data Literacy Essentials, a SAS course that introduces data basics and strategies for using and interrogating data, discovering meaning, making decisions and communicating data.
“The course follows the journeys of a concerned parent, a small business owner and a public health expert, who each use data to navigate and problem-solve through the pandemic.”
SAS says the course also focuses on the ethical challenges of working with data.
“Data ethics refers to how we seek out, interpret and present data responsibly, including the moral judgements we make when working with data. The course covers how biases influence the ways we interact with and communicate data, and provides guidance on ways we can work with data more responsibly.”
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